Prince William Hints at Anticipated First for Kate Middleton Since Battling Cancer

The "hardest year" of Prince William's life appears to be easing up as his wife, Kate Middleton, continues to thrive health-wise and begins to take on more royal duties.

While wrapping up an international trip, the Prince of Wales offered insight into Kate's slow but sure return to her royal duties since she announced she finished chemotherapy and was declared cancer-free earlier this fall.

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Though William, 42, made the trip to Cape Town, South Africa, to meet with the president without his wife of 13 years, he suggested things could change for engagements they have planned in the months ahead.

"I think, hopefully, Catherine will be doing a bit more next year, so we’ll have some more trips maybe lined up," he shared per a recent report published by The Guardian.

His comments suggested that Kate, also 42, could make her first big, overseas trip since publicly revealing her cancer diagnosis and stepping back from the spotlight in March.

As Parade previously reported, the Princess of Wales has returned to regularly scheduled events, making several public appearances in the weeks since sharing her latest health update. She attended a ballet performance in London, a church service in Scotland and a meeting with the bereaved families of three young girls murdered at a dance class in northwest England.

Most recently, Middleton appeared at an annual Remembrance Sunday event—a stark contrast to the much more private life she assumed while undergoing treatment for an unspecified type of cancer.

Next: Prince William Recalls the Style Change That Made Princess Charlotte Cry